Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!! It has been such an amazing day, one of thankfulness and reflections of all that we have been blessed with and so many wonderful people whom have been so supportive to us during this trial of ours. The best Christmas present we could have - well we do have, Eric home with us!

He has been very tired but doing okay- the last few weeks have been difficult but we are so thankful for our miracles and blessings! Eric has came so far and there was a time when we thought he might not even make it home by Christmas. We are so grateful to the Lord that Eric is still so far responding to his bone marrow transplant, still 99% grafted with his donors cells. We have had a recent scare which we are awaiting the test results - that is part of the reason I have not been able to update the blog the last few days we have been at the doctors so much. We noticed on Tuesday night possible Graft Vs. Host Disease (a rash) on front of both his lower legs. It kind of looks like a raised bump, red, sore to touch, itches a little- it kind of looks like the chicken poxs. We went into this doctors yesterday morning at 9am and we were there until 2pm due to this recent concern, so he immediately sent us over to have some of it cut off Eric's leg to get a biopsy and see if it is Graft Vs. Host Disease. We will not get the results until 1/7/10.

Meanwhile the doctor has started him on medication and steroids for this to try to get a hold of it while we wait for the results. Eric came home yesterday as you can imagine extremely tired from the long ordeal at the hospital as well as we had to do his IV treatment. It is hard to stay focused when every time we turn around and go in there seems to be another hurdle or obstacle in the way but we know the Lord is aware of our struggles and continues to guide us and give us strength.

I want to thank all of you for all of your continued love and support. It has been so amazing to me how much in tune with the Lord you are, how much the Lord touches our hearts and uses us as a tool for compassion, love and support. We have felt that from so many of you and I want you all to know how thankful I am for all of you! Please know there is not a moment, a second that goes by that I do not thank the Lord and thank him for all of you and for the continued love and support!

We have so much to be thankful for, so many blessings! I am so thankful also for Eric's donor again I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude! He has given the greatest gift to us, the gift of life- Eric's life. In the December Ensign there was a quote by President Spencer W. Kimball " God does notice us, and he watches over us, But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom." We have felt this is so many ways and so many occasions. May God Bless Us all not just this time of the year and during the Christmas season but may we all remember this feeling of Christ and his birth and keep it in our hearts all year long.